Its medicinal use goes back centuries; as does its illicit use. This plant is why the Opium wars started between England and China in around 1840, and why Hong Kong belonged to Great Britian for about 150 years. Most craft stores and florist sell the dried seed capsules for use in decorative floral arrangements. If you find any pod's in one of these places of business, they will most likely be papaver somniferum. You can look at pictures of them on the Internet, or here at poppies.org in the poppy gallery, should you have any doubts as to their characteristics.

There are also many varieties of papaver somniferum: there are papaver giganthemum, which are very large pod's; Hen's and Chicks which are smaller pod's that will have many smaller pod's surrounding them; and there are papaver nigrum, which are about the size of a pecan. The papaver somniferum seed pod is very distinct in its shape and texture -- set apart from other varieties of this species, and once you see one, you will know them from then on. Its like seeing a Santa Fe style house -- once you have seen one, you'll know the style if you see it again.

It won't take you long to become aquainted with their distinctive characteristics. Then, when you see some at the florist's or Art's and Craft's store, you will know exactly what your looking at.

For more information on poppy identification, visit the poppies.org gallery. There is a special identification section there.